The present invention relates to a process for producing a high strength structural member and a starting powder of a light alloy for use in carrying out the process.
There is a conventionally known process for producing a structural member which comprises forming a green compact using a supersaturated solid solution powder (having a crystalline phase volume fraction C (Vf) of 100%) of a light alloy as a starting, powder for the purpose of providing an increased strength of the resulting member, and subjecting the green compact to a hot extrusion.
However, the above-described starting powder exhibits poor in moldability and in bondability between the particles thereof, resulting in a failure to produce a high strength member at lower working rates. For this reason, a large-sized apparatus must be used in order to provide a higher working rate. The employment of such a means causes a problem in that the production cost of the member is increased because of the increased equipment cost and the durability of the equipment is lower. Another problem is that if the green compact is subjected to a hot extrusion at a higher working rate, the metallographic structure to the resulting member becomes fibrous and it is difficult of provide a homogeneous metallographic structure.